theallennuggets

We took a trip last week to Wisconsin because one of my cousin’s got married. My family is incredibly special and we have so much fun when we get together. Which, since we’re in Texas, isn’t enough for me.

My grandparents are 90 years young and I don’t see them nearly enough so I soaked up the 5 days we were there.

The trip included a LOT of visiting with family members because it seemed like each day more people arrived into town. So most of our time in WI we just drifted from one family member’s house to the next to see who was there.

Saturday morning we loaded up the boys and got out of the house first thing, so I could take The Hubs and the boys to a park/swimming hole that I went to as a kid. In order to do this quickly, we kind of just bolted after breakfast before the day got away from us.

Iverson Park was exactly as I remembered it and, even though it was only 71° out side and the water was freezing, we were holding the boys back from wading into the water. We hit up the playground and the swings and then we decided to grab lunch, so I could get my hands on some fried cheese curds.

We went to another place I hold dear in my memory from my childhood visits to WI and ordered up lunch.

Halfway through our lunch, Corbin turned to Josh and opened his mouth. He looked like he was in pain. I said to The Hubs, something is wrong with him. Initially, we both thought he had something in his teeth, so Josh reached in and pulled out a half chewed piece of cantaloupe. Then I heard Corbin make a gargle noise and I realized he was choking.

I said that to Josh and he grabbed him and turned him over on his leg and started to pat him hard on the back. Just as we were told to do when we had our class before the boys were released from the NICU. I sat across from him in the booth and saw Corbin going blue. I stood up and started to panic. I jumped up and went to turn and run into the main part of the restaurant for help but I just yelled, “he’s not breathing“!! Then I remembered I recently read that after they’re over a year old you are supposed to perform abdominal thrusts/the Heimlich. So in my freak out, I snatched Corbin and did about three abdominal thrusts (if you want to call it that …I didn’t take the time to make sure my hand placement was correct) but he made a noise like he was trying to cry, so Josh told me to put him down. He reached into his mouth and pulled out a slightly rounded piece of cantaloupe. Corbin began to really cry at that point. Then he stopped and asked if he could eat a hotdog. He was totally fine.

We were not. I couldn’t stop shaking. Fire and EMT arrived because (Thank GOD) the restaurant employees called 911 immediately. They told me we did everything correctly and checked out Corbin’s lungs and oxygen saturation. He was chatting it up with them like nothing had happened.

We were still physically shaking.

I cut up the Nuggets’ food religiously. We cut their grapes in half and quarter their hot dogs. I’m diligent about the size of toys they play with to ensure they cant get anything into their mouths. I discourage giving them popcorn. Yet here we are on vacation and, although I had cut up the cheese curds, the mini corn dogs and French fries, I failed to cut up his fruit. I cut up Weston’s because he was sitting right next to me. I just thought that The Hubs or I would get to it before he started eating it.

I got to experience the scariest thing I’ve ever been through, in my life. And I don’t want to ever have to go through that EVER again. 

I balled my eyes out the second we left the restaurant. It’s still hard to shake. The Hubs and I both have had several break downs and I had to tell myself to stop thinking about the worst case senario we could have faced.  Because we had the best case senario. He’s completely fine.

Afterwards I thought, I have four aunts, six cousins and a future SIL that are all nurses, and another cousin in med school and none of them were with us. *#&((&%$)(

Thank the good Lord that we had a happy ending. The wedding proceeded beautifully and although I wasn’t quite in the mood to celebrate, we enjoyed ourselves.

After a pretty long day of travel we arrived home with two incredibly tired kiddos and one I’m pretty sure is getting a cold.  Happens every. single. time. we travel.

The other interesting thing about this trip is I have been giving myself a hard time about being a “helicopter mom”.  You know, reading Scary Mommy blog (there is more than one) about ruining it for other moms or some bullshit.  It’s my kids and I’m going to be the BEST mom I know how to be and that means keeping my kids healthy, safe and alive.

Please remember all those educational messages to parents about chocking and water safety and all other “warnings” are taken seriously and educate yourself!

First Aid for Choking and CPR for Children over 12 YO

XOXO